Bipolar Disorder

SH, what has happened that you are so concerned? I was diagnosed with the illness then death of myhusband. They call it enviromental bi polor disorder. So there are many different causes and effects. I know that I can get manic,going either to being a sad and lonely woman and/or being the grateful Grandmother of 12 and the mother of 5 and having hours to spend with them, and even when I am sad I perk up by the sounds of the little ones happy noise.
There are often tests in magazines, or you can go online and take tests to see if yuhave any of the common traits so try doing that and see what happens, consider talking to her doctor and see if he can talk withher about what changes are going on in her life. Depending on her age it could allbe hormonenal with the "change of life effects".
As for the family,since ours was caused by the slow deathof a dear and beloved husband and father many of us were depressed andsad, and feeling the changes this was going to bring us. So we made a point to uplift one another and to be supportive as best as possible. But you have to be sure its not something else since this is an life long prblem. Good Luck and I wish yo the peace of mind.

Each person who is bi-polar will have symptoms that are a bit different. The only real way to determine if that's her problem is to get her to a professional for evaluation.
I had experience with a good friend some years ago. Her condition was more serious than some, and she would go into a totally depressed state for two or three days at a time. When she was in that state, she pulled her drapes and wanted to do nothing but sit alone in her apartment. We had a deal that I would go down to check on her several times a day, and just peek my head in the door and be sure she was OK, then leave her alone. Her part of the deal was to not yell at me when I peeked in. She was also my landlady, so another part of my side of the deal was that I would intervene with any questions or problems that came up with the other tenants during those days, so that she didn't alienate any of them with her mood.
When she wasn't in her depressed state, Helen was the most outgoing, exuberant, and friendly person anyone could want to know. Her's was, as I already indicated, an extreme case.
Some degree of mood swings is present in bi-polar people, but mood swings can also indicate other problems. So you really need to get your Mom to someone who can do the proper testing to be sure what the problem is, before trying to deal with it.

It's very hard on a family, most people do not believe that it is a real disorder. It will get worse with age, if you are just now noticing it in your mom it means things can get really bad and episodes can last very long. Most people think the afflicted person is faking it, but trust me they arent, there is no way they would do the things they do if they were "normal". So it is definitely real. It can be handled with medication and a good psychiatrist tho, but it takes time to get the right combination of medicine and the right doctor that the afflicted feels comfortable with. Good luck. If you have further questions you can send me a private message.

I'm bipolar as are several of my family members. Like the PP said, even if I tell you what happens to me or anyone else I know that information is probably going to be pretty useless in regard to your mother since it can vary so much from person to person. For instance my cousin and I have had such different responses to medications and stimuli that it sometimes seems as though we're dealing with an entirely different illness, and we share some of the same DNA.
In addition to seeing a professional you can also try to find a support group near you through the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=home&..., meetings are open to friends and family as well and may be of help to you.

Yes, she was professionally diagnosed. Symptoms are general, but can vary greatly from person to person and the things I describe about my mom won't help you as each person is an individual.

My suggestion would be to make an appointment with a mental healthcare professional: an LCSW or psychiatrist and coax her into going with you. Pay for the first one out of pocket if you have to. There is something called a DSM IV which they use to help diagnose various disorders and are well versed in doing so. They can then suggest things to help, if there is indeed something wrong.

GL!